He is. This is his first season in the big leagues - and perhaps his last. As part of a deal reached on Wednesday, Nauert and 21 others umpired their last games of the season, and their long-term future is in the hands of an arbitrator. A minor-league umpire was expected to replace Nauert on Thursday.

"A part of me feels for those guys, yet I feel strongly there needs to be accountability for all actions," Kent said. "We have it, and umpires should have it. It's one of the things Major League Baseball wants to change.

Nauert, an Atlanta resident who worked his way up through the International League, added, "It's really unfortunate it had to come to this. But you have to stand up for what you believe in. I come from a family of nine kids, and I learned to stand up for what I believe in."

TAVAREZ REACTS: Reliever Julian Tavarez, who rejoined the Giants on Wednesday, said he was disturbed about comments from Triple-A Fresno manager Ron Roenicke, who questioned Tavarez's attitude in a Fresno Bee report.

"If that's what he thinks of me, it doesn't make me feel good," Tavarez said. "But I guess worse things could happen. I like him. He's a nice guy. I still respect him."

Tavarez pitched one inning for Fresno on Monday and came out after 27 pitches, reportedly because of lower-back pain. Roenicke was quoted as saying, "With that kind of attitude, how do you think we feel putting him out there to pitch?"

Tavarez was among three players - the others were Wilson Delgado and Miguel Del Toro - called up from Fresno. Because it followed the Aug. 31 playoff-roster deadline, Tavarez is ineligible for the postseason.

"If we get to the playoffs, great," Tavarez said.

"Making the playoffs and not being on the playoff roster is better than being on the playoff roster and not making the playoffs."

ETC.: Livan Hernandez allowed three runs in eight innings without getting a decision. In seven career outings against Philadelphia, he's 2-1 with a 2.87 ERA. . . . J.T. Snow pushed his hit streak to 10 games, batting .447 with four homers during that stretch. . . . Kent has hit safely in 10 of 11 games since coming off the disabled list. . . . Ellis Burks has hit in 33 of 46 games since coming off the DL. . . . Delgado jumped into the starting lineup, spelling shortstop Rich Aurilia, who was 4-for-34 in his last nine games. "Richie really needed a day off," said manager Dusty Baker, adding that Aurilia will be in Thursday's lineup.&lt;